Postal covers on seashell artist Radha Mallappa from Mysuru and ‘Coffee Pudi’ Sakamma from Kodagu released

Mysore/Mysuru: As part of its ongoing effort to redefine ‘connecting people’ in the online era, the Karnataka Postal Circle organised its annual State-level Philatelic Exhibition — 13th State-level Philatelic Exhibition, Karnapex 2024: Festival of Stamps between Jan. 5 and 8 — at Kanteerava Indoor Stadium in Bengaluru. The Festival was last held in 2019 in Mangaluru. 

A total of 700 frames, with each containing multiple stamps and postal covers, were displayed and 17 stalls were put up. Postal covers on Dr. Puneeth Rajkumar, Sir M. Visvesvaraya setting up FKCCI, 100 years of Lalitha Mahal Palace, Mysuru and Mysore Sandal Soap were also released.

Notably, postal covers on ‘Kalashree’ a museum of artworks made of seashells and conches by Radha Mallappa, a resident of Hanumanthanagar in Mysuru and Karnataka’s first woman coffee entrepreneur Sakamma from Kodagu, known as ‘Coffee Pudi’ Sakamma were also released, as part of women empowerment.   

Addressing reporters at Pathrakartara Bhavan on Tuesday, Mysuru Division Postal Deputy Superintendent Sunil Halepete said that Mysuru has already made a mark in the postal covers released by the Dept. in the past as postal covers of Lalitha Mahal Palace, Rashtrakavi K.V. Puttappa (Kuvempu), Mysuru Vilyadele and Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa.

This year, the Karnapex 2024 featured Radha Mallappa who has done sculptures made of seashells and conches. She has accomplished the magnificent recreation of Taj Mahal and she has been working on products of the sea since more than two decades and designed different items. 

Beginning from the smallest flower to the giant-sized Taj Mahal, Shiva temple, church, each piece is unique and eye-catching. The 11ft x 18ft tall Ganesha idol bagged the Guinness World Records. Each artefact is better than the other one and there are over 300 models on display, he added.  

‘Coffee Pudi’ Sakamma

Likewise, a postal cover on D. Sakamma, popular as ‘Coffee Pudi’ Sakamma, was also released. Sakamma’s name remains somewhat obscured in the records of Indian entrepreneurs. However, her venture, ‘Sakamma’s Coffee Works’ in Bangalore gained widespread recognition in the 1920s, playing a pivotal role in the early 20th century by introducing authentic cured and powdered coffee from Kodagu to the residents of the Princely State of Mysore. Widowed at the age of 18, Sakamma chose to channel her education into managing the coffee estate left by her husband, Savkar Doddamane Chikkabasappa Setty, a prosperous coffee planter from Somwarapet in Kodagu. Relocating to Bangalore, she established a coffee curing and powdering unit near Bull Temple Road in 1920. Swiftly, her distinctive coffee blend gained immense popularity across the city, making Sakamma Coffee Works an integral part of the lives of Bangaloreans.

The attractive postal covers feature Radha Mallappa and ‘Coffee Pudi’ Sakamma with imagery of their respective fields of achievements. A short description has been printed at the back of the postal cover.

Marimallappa’s PU College Educational Officer Mangala Muddumadappa, Radha Mallappa, Postal Department Sales Division Manager Sureshkumar were present at the press meet.